Improvement in combined life-boats and bed-bottoms



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

oHAELEs BTGENBACE, oE LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 117,977, dated Augustl5, 1871.

T0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES BTGENBACH, of the city of Louisville, countyof Jefferson and State of Kentucky, have invented av certain new anduseful improvement in a life-boat and bedbottom combined, for the use ofsteam-boats, ocean Steamers, and other similar purposes, of which thefollowing is a specification:

rlhe irst part of my invention consists in a box made of wood,corresponding in lsize and shape with that of the bed or mattress underwhich it is used, with the ends beveled on the under side similar to anordinary flat-boat, the seams of which are secured in such a manner asto be rendered water-tight, and when in use it is placed in the bottomof the berth and made to form the bottom on which the mattress rests,and is held in its place by the ends resting on pieces projecting fromthe sides of the room in which it is placed, without any kind of fastening, so that it may be easily removed in order to be ready foruse as alife-boat at a moments warning'. The second part of my inventionconsists in two small boxes or chambers, made of wood, metal, or anyother suitable material, in shape nearly foursquare, and in size andlength to correspond with the depth and length of the iiat part of thebottom of the boat in which they are used, leaving sufficient room,under them for the oars, which are secured to the under side by passingthe handle through an eyebolt in the box, which is also made to answeras a row-lock when in use; these last-named boxes are hung by hinges tothe inside of the top of the boat, so that they will turn out over theedge in order to act as a iioat to buoy up the boat, and also asbearings to prevent its turning over, and, in order to make them moreefiicient, they are filled with numerous airtight boxes, made of metal,rubber, or any suitable material, made to it the inside of the box orcasing neatly, so that, in case of damage to one or more, the remainingnumber may not be affected to such an extent as to cause disaster. Theseboxes may be held in their places in the casing by any device suitableto the purpose 5 but in order to hold the casings in their places whenturned out there are small boards, hung by lhinges to the bottom of theboat, made wide enough to extend as high as the boxes or casings whenturned up, and of sufficient length to ll the' space between the boxesor casing, thereby preventing them from turning, and, when not in use,these boards are folded down on the bottom of the boat, the airboxchambers folding' down on top of them; there is also an air-box chamberattached to the back of each of these last-named boards, with anairtight box inserted similar to those at the sides, and when the boardsare raised up in position they rest on a iiat piece across the end ofthe boat, the side chambers being kept in position by resting againstthe end of the boards, thereby forming a complete boat, in which personsmay stand and operate the oars without danger of turning over 5 one ofthese last-named boards being provided with a iiag-staif andsignal-flag, to be used in cases of disaster. The above description ofmy invention has been almost wholly confined to its use as a life-boat,but in order to be used as a bed or mattress-bottom, it is onlynecessary to turn the air-chambers down on the inside, and they willform a plane even surface on the top for the edges of the mattress torest on, the remaining or central part resting on springs secured to theunder side of the mattress, the lower ends resting on the bottom of thebox or boat without fastenings. The object of my invention is to provide-a cheap and easily-to-beoperated device that will answer as abed-bottom for the mattress and can be easily converted into a life-boatin case of disaster, as a means of safety always at hand, and ready foruse at a moments warning.

Having thus fully described the nature and object of my invention, amore complete understanding of which may be had by reference to thedrawing, Figure4 l is a view of the boat when folded up to be used as abed-bottom. Fig. 2 is a view ofthe same when prepared to be used as alife-boat. Fig. 3 is a view of the mattress, showing the spiral springson the under side.

A is the boat. B B B B are theair-box casings, all of which are made ofwood, metal, or other suitable material, into which the numerousair-boxes areinserted. C C are theboards forming the end of the boat,toprevent the side casin gs from turning in, and to which the endair-casings are attached. D D are the oars for operating the boat. E isthe flag-staff. F is the signal-nag. G is the keel or center-board ofthe boat, which is made of metal or other material and hung to thebottom by hinges so as to fold down closely,

and is keptin its place by the pawl H turned against it-,\vl1ieh holdsit securely against the block I on the opposite.

Having thus fully described the drawing, what I claim as new, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of the lower portion A, hinged boxed sides B B, andends C C having hinged boxes, all constructed and arranged substantiallyas described a-nd forming a folding boat and bed-bottoni, for thepurpose set forth.

2. In combination With the folding boat and bed-bottom herein described,the mattress J provided With springs projecting from its under side, forthe purpose specified.

3. The hinged keel G, paWl H, and stop I, in combination with a foldinglife-boat, substantially as described.

CHARLES BUTGENBAGH.

Witnesses:

E. F. HUYGK, P. MGGARM.

